Get to Know Jimmy McKinley

Jimmy McKinley might be a new name around the Northeast Ohio racing scene, but he has been racing nearly since birth. In addition to his Compact driving at area race tracks, Jimmy was one of the pioneers of online sim racing, running the United Short Track Alliance (USA Series) from 1997-2005.

How did you get involved in racing?

I went to my very first race at six weeks old. As my mom and dad were moving to south Florida, we stopped at Palm Beach Fairgrounds Speedway. By age three, I could recite an entire Late Model feature lineup. In 1974, Dad had the opportunity to help one of his work buddies with a race car, and Dad became the crew chief. After that, we started keeping the race car in our garage, and I started going to the races on Friday and Saturday nights. We started out in south Florida, then the west coast tracks started offering tow money. Those were the best years of racing!

What’s your favorite race track you’ve raced on?

I really like New Smyrna Speedway in Florida. In a Compact, you’re sailing off in to the corner at over 90mph – in third gear! Fast. High-banked. I also really like Barberton, because it doesn’t really favor horsepower. You gotta *handle* there.

What kind of hobbies outside of the racecar do you have?

I’ve been involved in radio-controlled racing since 1986. It was a way for me to “go racing” without having to buy a “real” race car. I was involved in sim racing from 1996 to 2006, even running my own online racing series for a number of years. I’m also a huge Disney nerd – theme parks, movies, behind-the-scenes type stuff. My wife, Kyla, and I also love to travel. We have a goal to visit all 63 national parks across the United States 😉

Did you have any racing heroes growing up?

As a very young child, those early years, we guys like Dick Anderson and Gary Balough. As we got in to the 1980s, and started going to SpeedWeeks, we’d get to see the northerners and midwestern guys like Trickle, Eddy, Howe, and Malcuit. I also got to see the New Englad pavement (pre-Whelen Tour) Modifieds – guys like Richie Evans, Maynard Troyer, Geoff Bodine, Jimmy Spencer, and Tommy Baldwin. Anyone that drove for Dad was my hero. In NASCAR, my early hero was Pearson and Petty. Then I was a Bill Elliott fan. And after “the incident” at Richmond in 1987 with Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt was *the man*. But my all-time favorite driver was Jim Childers. Jim drove for us a number of years, and to this day, is STILL the only driver I’ve ever seen win THREE features on the same night in three totally different types of race cars.

What’s your favorite racing memory…

One would be when we won the 1981 Coca Cola 200 over a STOUT field of outstanding talent – Lindley, Trickle, Eddy, Howe, Pearson, and the top local guys, at DeSoto Memorial Speedway, which is now known as the Freedom Factory. Bill Elliott’s dominance in NASCAR in the mid-’80s. Bobby Allison’s Daytona 500 win in 1988 with Davey second. But my favorite is winning MY first race at Barberton in 2017. Then winning a second race at Painesville just two weeks later.

What are your plans for 2025?

Put a “big” motor in the car, hopefully for more reliability! Travel down south some. Mostly running at Barberton (Norton Raceway Park) again.

Anyone you want to thank for getting you here?

Fast Car Shipping has been there since the beginning. Stray Dog Racing, Sweet Heat Pepper Sauce, Foots Transport, and Upper Crust Pizza. Shreffler Tuning has been a huge help. Colleen, Hunter, Kaylee, Jerry, Hannah, Jake, Jordan, Brian, Jeremy, Will, Brent, Dave, and many, many more that I know I’m missing. The most important one, though, is my wife, Kyla. Without her support, I wouldn’t be able to do this.

Do you have a regular job, and if so what do you do?

Driverge Vehicle Innovations. We build handicapped-accessible fleet vehicles for like nursing homes and hospitals; hotel shuttle vans; and service vehicles. I’m on the “logistics” side of shipping/receiving vehicles.

What is your favorite type racecar you’ve ever driven?

I like the Compacts. But I wish I had gotten an opportunity to drive for my dad at least once. I *did* get to hot-lap that car once, in about 2009.

Do you have any racers that you are close friends with?

Quite a few. Colleen Norris. Hunter and Kaylee Cunningham. John Cunningham. Jerry and Hannah Ward. Jake Keller. Kerek and Logan Ball. Jordan Greathouse. Brian Tredway. Jeremy Sallinger. Will Custer. Dave Nester. And I’m sure I’m missing more. I’ll never be able to name EVERYBODY that’s helped me get the race car to the track. All these guys and gals have been huge helps at the race track.

Special Thank you to Coltin Raupach from Norton Raceway Park for the “cover shot” on this article. Follow his Instagram for more great photos from Norton Raceway Park

Special Thank you to Britt Peebles from BP Photography for the photos from Midvale Speedway. Follow the BP Photography Facebook Page for more great shots.